Bearing



2 1937. A c. H. HELLYAR 2,102,952

BEARING Filed April 9, 1935 INVENTOR Charles H Hellyar W ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 21, 1937 i UNITED- STATES, PATENT OFFICE 4 BEARING Charles Henry Hellyar, New Britain, Conn., assignor to The Fafnir Bearing Company, New Britain, Conn a corporation of Connecticut Application April 9, 1935, Serial No. 15,418 18 Claims. (Cl. 308-187) My invention relates to a bearing and more as at I I, to provide a, bore or support for the outer particularly to a thrust bearing for car axles, ring l2 of the angular contact bearing. The ring shafts for heavy rolls, and the like. Car axles I! may be spaced from the bottom of the counand, in general, shafts for some particular apterbore and adjusted therein by means such as plioations are capable during normal operation gaskets 13, one of which, designated I4, is of of axial movement and during such'axial moverubber or other resilient material so as to assist ments quite severe end thrusts must be absorbed. in taking the shocks incident to the axial move- It is the general object of my invention to 'proment of the shaft 6. The thrust bearing in the vide an improved form of anti-friction thrust form shown is a unit handlingbearing includbearing for car axles and shafts in general which ing the outer ring l2 and inner ring l5 and inare subject to considerable axial motion during terposed balls Iii-l6 holding the rings or raceoperation. way members together. The inner ring in the It is a more specific object to provide a thrust preferred form is generally cup-shaped, that is, hearing of the character indicated, which is relahasa generally radially extending portion ll tively simple in construction, easy to assemble, providing a generally radially extending surface 15 and which is not likely to get out of order. l8 spaced from the adjacent end wall of the cover It is a further object to provide an improved III for a purpose to be later described. The oplubricating means for a thrust bearing and in posite end of the inner ring is extended, as indigeneral lubricating means for a bearing which cated at l9, and the end of the shaft 6 is adapt- 2011188 be a roller bearing-for a car axle. ed to abut the end IQ of the inner ring. When It is afurther object toprovide a thrust hearing .such shaft moves axially toward the right the for a car axle or the like, together with improved thrust of the shaft 6 is taken through the inner means for constantly driving one bearing ring of ring, angularly through the balls, the outer ring the thrust hearing by the car axle or other shaft. l2, and gaskets and cover. It is often desirable Other objects will be either hereinafter pointed and in some cases it may be necessary to initiate out or will become apparent to those skilled in the rotation of the inner ring before the maxithe art. mum thrust of the axle or shaft 6 is transmitted The drawing, which shows for illustrative purthereto. I have therefore provided means for poses only a preferred form of the invention, is constantly maintaining the inner ring l5 in roa fragmentary, vertical, central sectional view of tation by means of the shaft 6. 30 a railway journal box which illustrates the inven- It will be noted that with the unit handling 1;! thrust bearing as illustrated, the bearing is sub- In said drawing, 5 indicates a journal box stantially fixed in an axial direction, though of l which, in the preferred form shown, is a journal course it might float slightly. In order to mainbox of a railway car. The axle or shaft 6 is tain the bearing in rotation, I preferably provide journaled in the box on an anti-friction bearing, what may be termed a'driving member l9, which preferably of the cylindrical roller type employforms a yielding thrust block carried by the ing rollers 'I-1 interposed between the box and a, thrust bearing and keyed as at 20 or otherwise bearing sleeve 8 held on the axle 6 against moveprevented from rotation in the recess 2| of the ment in one direction by means such as a snap inner ring. A spring 22 interposed between the 40 ring 9. The shaft 6 during normal operation inbottom of the cup ring l5 and a part of the drivtermittently moves axially in the box 5 and during member 19 serves to constantly maintain ing such movement the rollers 1--| slide relativethe driving member in contact with the end of ly to either the sleeve 8 or the bearing surface theshaft 6 during all normal positions of axial within the housing 5. My invention relates parmovement thereof so that rotation of the shaft ticularly to an improved form of thrust hearing will always be transmitted through the driving 7 for the shaft or axle 8. member l9 to the inner ring 15 and the latter will In the preferred form shown, the thrust bearat all times be rotatingsubstantially at the speed ing is carried in the cover Ill, bolted or otherwise of the shaft 6. When the shaft 6 moves axially m secured to the housing proper 5. The thrust toward the right, the presence 'of the yielding hearing itself preferably comprises a radial type thrust block l9 prevents undue shock on the sevangular contact ball bearing, though certain feaeral parts of the thrust bearing and cushions tures of the invention are in no wise limited to the blow when the shaft reaches the extreme a ball bearing nor to an angular contact type of limit of thrust movement in said direction. ball bearing. The cover It) may be counterbored In most cases it will be desirable to also eming; improved lubricating means for such thrust bearing, as well as for the main roller bearing. In the form shown, the housing 5 and cover are provided with an oil reservoir 25 and a wick 26 dips into the oil reservoir and extends upwardly into the space outside the radial portion I! of the inner ring l5 and into engagement with the face l8. The wick may be backed up by a sheet metal plate 21 and urged into contact with the face l8 by means such as a spring 28. Oil will be sucked up in the wick 26 and upon rotation of the inner ring l5 oil will be carried from the wick centrifugally outwardly along the face ,18 and be thus discharged. The oil discharged or slung off will splatter and tend to lubricate the parts of the thrust bearing and the oil running down on'the relatively fixed parts will pass toward the left through the thrust bearing and down the incline 29 and into the raceway for the radial load carrying rollers l and be carried by the rollers entirely around the housing. The oil after passing to the left of the main bearing may drop down and be returned to the reservoir 25 through the passage, as shown.

All parts of the thrust bearing and the lubricating means are all conveniently carried by the cover so that when the cover is removed the shaft 6 is exposed and all thrust bearing parts are in position for easy inspection or repair. The bearing is relatively simple in construction and is a serviceable anti-friction thrust bearing for a railway car axle or the like. The method of lubrication is excellent for bearings when oil is used in that a small amount of oil is supplied during rotation of the bearing and, as the bearing speeds up, there is a tendency for the lubrication to increase. If the wick lubrication method shown be omitted the inner ring could of course be a more or less conventional inner ring of a radial bearing.

While the invention has been described in considerable detail and a single preferred form shown as applied to a railway car axle, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character indicated, a bearing box, a bearing for taking radial load, an axially movable shaft journaled therein, a separate unit handling thrust bearing comprising inner and outer concentric raceway rings with interposed anti-friction bearing members, the outer ring being supported by said box, and a member forming a sliding driving connection between the other of said raceway rings and said shaft, whereby said shaft will drive the inner ring of said thrust bearing in all axial positions of said shaft, means to supply oil to said inner ring to be slung by the latter to lubricate said bearing.

2. In a device of the character indicated, a bearing box, .a radial bearing, an axially movable shaft journaled therein, a separate "thrust bearing for said shaft including inner and outer bearing rings with interposed anti-friction bearing members, means for resiliently receiving the end thrust of one of said bearing rings in said housing, and a yielding connection carried-by the other of said bearing rings and engaging the end of said shaft, whereby the latter will be caused to rotate with said shaft.

3. In a device of the character indicated, a bearing box, a bearing therein for taking radial load, an axially movable shaft journaled therein, a thrust bearing for said shaft including inner and outer bearing rings with interposed antifriction bearing members, means for yieldingly supporting said outer bearing ring to permit slight oscillation ther of, and means carried by the inner ring for ma ntaining a thrust conneccounterbore, a thrust bearing comprising an outerv bearingiring mounted in said counterbore, a re"- silient backing between the bottom of said counterbore and one end of said outer ring, an inner bearing ring, anti-friction bearing members interposed between said bearing rings, and a driving connection between said bearing ring and said shaft, for the purpose described.

5. In a device of the character indicated, a bearing box, an axially movable shaft joumaled therein, a thrust bearing for said shaft comprising opposed raceway members with interposed anti-friction bearing members, one of said raceway members being recessed, and a driving member located in said recess and engageable with said shaft in all axial positions thereof, and a spring interposed between said recessed member and said drivingmember for' maintaining contact between the latter and said shaft in all positions of axial movement thereof.

6. In a device of the character indicated, a bearing box, a rolIerJoearing therein, a shaft journaled in said roller bearing and movable axially in said box, said bearing box including a cover, an angular contact bearingmounted in said cover and including inner and outer bearing rings, with interposed anti-friction bearing members, said shaft being engageable'with said inner bearing ring in one extreme of its axial movement, and means for driving said inner ring by said shaft in other positions of axial movement of said shaft.

7. In a device of the charactenindicated, a bearing box, an axially. movable shaft journaled therein for radial support, a thrust bearing therefor including inner and outer bearing rings, means for non-rotatably supporting the outer ring, a driving connection between said shaft and the other of said rings, said latter ring having an extended generally radial surface at its outer end and. spaced from said box, an oil reservoir and a space and into engagement with said generally radial surface, for the purpose described.

8. In a device of the character indicated, a bearing box including a cover, an axially movable shaft journaled for radial load in said box, a thrust bearing for said shaft comprising a unit handling bearing mounted in said cover and comprising inner and outer raceway rings, said cover having a counterbore for receiving the outer ring of said thrust bearing and providing a space at the outer end of the inner ring, a driving member interposed between the inner ring of said thrust bearing and the end of said shaft, whereby said inner ring will be driven by said shaft whether or notsaid shaft is in contact with the ring itself, said cover having an oil reservoir therein and a wick extending from said reservoir into said space and into engagement with the,

outer end of said inner bearing ring, for the purpose described.

9. In a device of the character indicated, a

bearing box including a cover, an axially movable shaft journaled for radial load therein, a thrust bearing including opposed raceway members with interposed anti-friction bearing members, one of said raceway members having a generally radially extending surface at its outer and spaced from the inner wall of said cover, a lubricant reservoir and wick extending up from said reservoir into said space and into engagement with said generally radially extending surface, for the purpose described.

10. In a device of the character indicated, a bearing box including an end cover, an axially movable shaft journaled for radial load ,in said box, said cover having ashouldered thrust bearing shoulder facing toward the end of said shaft, an -angular contact bearing constituting a thrust bearing for said shaft and including inner and outer bearing rings with interposed anti-friction bearings members, and resilient means on said shoulder to receive and cushion the thrust of the outer ring, the end of said shaft being engageable upon extreme axial movement in one direction with the opposite end of said inner bearing ring, for the purpose described. a

11. In a bearing of the character described, a box, a bearing therein for taking radial leads, an axially'movable shaft journaled therein, 'a separate thrust, bearing at the end-of said shaft comprising an outer ring, a concentric ring within the same and spaced therefrom, anti-friction bearings in the space between said rings, a thrust block mounted for reciprocation in the innerring and projecting partially therefrom at one end thereof to engage the end of the shaft in different axial positions of the latter, with means for resiliently urging said block toward and against said shaft to maintain driving engagement therewith for rotating the inner ring. 12. In a device of the character indicated, a bearing box, an axially movable shaft in said box, anti-friction bearing means for rotatably supporting said shaft radially in said box, a cover cap for said box, and having a bore to receive a thrust bearing, a thrust bearing carried by said cover cap and comprising a radial type angular contact bearing having inner and outer bearing rings with interposed anti-friction bearing members holding said rings in assembled relation, said outer ring being mounted in said'bore in said cover, and said inner ring, being normally spaced from the end of said shaft but engageable by the latter upon axial movement thereofin one direction, whereby end thrusts of said shaft in said one direction will be transmitted by said inner ring and angularly through-said anti-friction bearing members to said outer bearing rin and cover cap carrying the same. 1

13. In a device of the character indicated, bearing box means, an axially movable shaft in said box means, anti-friction bearing means for rotatably supporting said shaft radially in said box means, a separate thrust bearing carried in the outer end of said box adjacent theen'd of said shaft and comprising a radial type angular contact bearing having inner and outer bearing rings with interposed anti-friction bearing members holding said rings in assembled relation, one of 7 said shaft means, a thrust ing ring mounted therein,

said rings being mounted in the outer end of said box means and the other of said rings bein normally spaced from but engageable by said shaft upon axial movement of the latter in one direction, whereby end. thrusts of said shaft will. be transmitted by said rings and anti-friction bearing members to the end of said box means.

14, In a device of the character indicated, bearing box means, shaft means rotatably carried thereby, said box and shaft means being movable relatively to each other in a direction axially of said shaft means, a thrust bearing in the outer end of said bearing box adjacent the end of said shaft for taking only end thrusts of said shaft means and comprising a radial type angular contact bearing having inner and outer bearing rings with interposed anti-friction bearing members holding said rings in assembled relation, one of said bearing rings being carried by one of said means, the other of said means having a thrust surface normally free of said other bearing ring but intermittently engageable thereby upon relative axial movements of said box and shaft means, for the purpose described.

15. In a device of the character indicated, bearing box means, shaft means rotatably carried thereby, said box and shaft means being movable relatively to each other in a direction axially of said shaft means, a thrust bearing for taking end thrusts of said shaft means including opposed bearing rings with interposed anti-friction bear.- ing members, said thrust bearing as a unit being mounted for movement relatively to both said shaft and box means in a direction axially of said shaft means, said shaft and box means having opposed thrust surfaces for cooperation with said opposed bearing rings, for the purpose described. 16. In a device of the character indicated, bearing box means, shaft means rotatably carried thereby, said box and shaft means being movable relatively to each other in a direction axially of bearing for taking end thrusts of said shaft means and including a radial type angular contact bearing having inner and outer bearing rings with interposed anti-friction bearing members, one of said bearing rings being relatively loosely mounted in said box means to permit slight self alignment thereof, resilient gasket means between said box means and bearsaid shaft means having a thrust abutment surface for cooperation with the other of said bearing rings for the purpose described.

1'7. In a device of the character indicated, bearing box means, axially movable rotatable shaft means therein, anti-friction bearing means for supporting said shaft means radially in said box means, a separate thrust bearing for taking end thrusts of said shaft means and including a radial type angular contact bearing having inner and outer bearing rings with interposed anti-friction bearing members, one of said rings being slidably mounted in said box means at the end thereof, the other of said rings being engageable with the end of said shaft, resilient means interposed between the end of said box means and said ring terposed between said box and shaft for rotat- It ably supporting the latter radially therein, 'a' thrust bearing between the end of said shaft and said cover and comprising a radial type angular contact bearing having inner and outer bearing rings with hearing balls interposed therebetween and holding said bearing rings in assembled relation, said cover having a counterbore therein, said outer bearing ring being mounted and se- 

